Running with Aida
Aida looked around her room, and the desk. Count Edmund would drop by every now and then to talk, and as strange as it sounded, Aida began to look forward to it.
He would often arrange for meals together, something simple usually, and they would eat in one of the smaller courtyard tables, instead of the formal dining room.
“It’s... too stuffy.”
Aida smiled. The Count really went over and above to make her feel comfortable.
“The merchants will bring some books over, and I’ve arranged for a mage to see you in a few days. He’ll drop by soon.”
“Thank you.... Edmund.”
Edmund smiled. “Small matter. In the meantime, just relax, eat some food, and make yourself feel at home. You’ll be here for a long time.”
Aida nodded. “I’m very grateful.”
“Your talent is unique. To just leave it in your village would be... less than ideal.” Edmund smiled, in his mind, it’s more of getting Aida out of the hero’s party.
Aida nodded again. Edmund had a sip of tea. A maid served their lunch, it’s bread with some meat slices and local vegetables.
“Hope you don’t mind having similar meals every day, the local produce around here is fairly limited, and we don’t get many imported meats or produce.” Edmund started eating. It’s true that the meals do get somewhat repetitive, though it’s due to the seasons.
Aida took a bite out of the bread.
“Hmm... what do you think of heroes?” Edmund kind of blurted out. It’s something on his mind for some time, and he wanted to know Aida’s thoughts.
“Uhmm.... they’re heroes?” Aida took another bite. “Is there something you want to know?” Aida thought the question was... strange. Heroes, well, heroes do their saving the world thing.
“If a hero asked you to join his party today, would you say yes?”
Aida paused. “Maybe I would? I think it’s quite dangerous though, but if the hero is there, should be fine?” It’s a good opportunity, and one would learn a lot from the heroes.
Edmund frowned, and Aida wondered whether she said the wrong thing, then. Edmund, on the other hand, realised, well, he needed to convincingly change Aida’s mind. He had not given her a reason to reject the heroes. Yet.
“Uh... but I think maybe not.” Aida tried to backtrack on her decision.
Edmund smiled. He shouldn’t expose himself as someone against the heroes, at least, not yet. He took a big bite out of the bread. “Do you do any... exercises?”
“Ah... I... I used to do some gardening, but these days...”
“Join me for a morning run tomorrow. Just a few laps around the garden. It’s not good to be unfit and unhealthy.”
Aida paused, and then she nodded. “...okay.” Her mind raced. Is there something to a morning job she didn’t know about? Or is it really just so... simple, like, a morning jog? She didn’t even have the right attire for it, what should she wear? Should she just wear a nightgown? Or shorts? Did she have shorts?
Edmund though, seemed to read her mind. “The stores have some spare casual attires you can have.” Edmund motioned one of the maids over and spoke a few words. “They’ll go clean it up and send it to you later today.”
Aida nodded. “Thank you.” She wondered how he’s so quick, and it made her rethink whether this was normal.
Edmund finished his food, and then finished his tea. He stood, patted his shirt a bit and said. “Ah, Aida, I’d love to stay, but I must go, my duties await.”
Aida smiled awkwardly. “See you tomorrow.”
-
Aida woke up when a maid knocked on her door. It’s time for the morning jog, and so she got dressed into a plain shirt and pants. The maids even gave her a rubber-soled cloth shoe. Where’d they find things like this, she wondered.
The sky’s still quite dark, really. But there are some magical lamps throughout the garden that lit up a small route.
“Ready?” Edmund smiled, and Aida’s heart fluttered. There’s something about a 40+ man with rugged, mature features that she didn’t quite know how to describe. Was it the scent of a man oozing with confidence and experience?
He’s also just in plain shirt and pants. “No guards?”
“It’s just my garden.” Edmund started to walk, and he did some stretches.
Aida tried a bit of stretching, honestly, she’s totally alien to the concept of workouts. “Do you do this every day?”
“Almost. I’m a bit out of shape, as you can see.” Edmund pointed to his slightly bulging belly. It’s been shrinking, but maybe it would have shrunk faster if Edmund didn’t drink so much bourbon and wine. “I’ve been doing this for a few months now.”
Aida nodded, honestly to her, he didn’t look out of shape. Her posture and stretch was abit awkward, and the Count noticed.
“May I?” He walked over, and touched her gently, Aida felt her face flush red, but thankfully it’s dark. Edmund’s body was so close, and he helped get her into the right position. “Okay, now try again.”
Aida did as she was told, and she felt her sides stretch. But it didn’t feel that awkward.
“I’ll help you.”
And Aida blushed through all of the stretching that the Count helped with.
“Okay, let’s go.”
She tried to follow the Count, and she could, for the first two laps around the garden. The garden never felt so big. On the third lap, she sweated from top to toe, and she began to lag.
Edmund noticed and slowed down. “Are you okay?”
“...ah... yes. I’m just... a bit.... Uh...” Aida’s head was a little dizzy. “I... I can go on.”
“Okay.” Edmund nodded, but he jogged at a slower pace.
On the 5th lap, her leg ached, and her clothes were drenched in sweat. Edmund walked over and stopped her.
“You should stop.”
Aida nodded. “...yeah.” She thought her life as a gardener would give her pretty good stamina.
Her legs ached, and she leaned down to massage it gently. But Edmund also did. “Well, I think you overdid it.” She sat on a bench in the garden, and he grabbed her ankle.
“...ah?”
And his thumb pressed on her calves. She felt an intense pain, and yet with a few strokes of the thumb, her aching calves somehow felt better. And he did for both of her legs.
Her face was flushed. A count massaging her feet? This is unthinkable to her.
Edmund then sat right next to her. “So how was it?”
“Wonderful?” She had to say it’s good, right?
“I meant the run. Do you like running?”
“Uh... not really.” Aida paused. Somehow, the Count’s odor attacked her nose, and rather than being repulsed by it... she found it... attractive. Truth was, Edmund’s body, can emit an aphrodisiac scent, something that increased the sexual desire and attractiveness of those around him. But it worked really, really slowly.
But Aida and the Count were together for a few hours in the morning. His hand touched her sweaty hair. “You look nice, even when you’re covered in sweat.”
“I.... I do?” The aphrodisiac scent and odor had fully invaded her body by now. And it made her think lewd thoughts. And rather than shake it off like she usually did, she just... let those thoughts grow. She’s too tired, and the scent’s influence is too strong.
But she felt wrong. And so even though the lewd thoughts lingered on her mind, she didn’t dare do anything.
Edmund noticed how flushed she was, and laughed. “Alright, let’s walk back.” He had the feeling that she needed to accept her ‘feelings’ before he can push her over iet.
“...Ah. Okay.”
He held her hand, and for a short moment, they walked holding hands. At least until Edmund made a compliment. “Your hands are really soft.”
It made Aida blush and she pulled her hand back.